AB de Villiers supported Ishan Kishan, emphasizing the draining nature of a cricketer’s schedule and the challenge of managing priorities amidst the prominence of T20 leagues like the IPL.
AB de Villiers, the former South African cricket star, has offered insights into the challenging situation surrounding Indian cricketer Ishan Kishan. In a discussion on his YouTube channel, de Villiers delved into the complexities of managing a cricket career in today’s era, especially with the rise of T20 leagues worldwide. He empathized with players juggling various commitments and acknowledged the dilemma they faced.
ALSO READ | Ishan Kishan Joins with Hardik and Krunal Pandya for Intensive Training in Baroda
While recognizing the allure of T20 leagues like the IPL, de Villiers underscored the significance of Test cricket in the sport. Speaking on his official channel, he reflected on similar experiences in his own career, highlighting the delicate balance required.
“Very interesting scenario there in India and I’ve been through this quite a bit throughout my career as well. It’s a very tricky situation. Players trying to manage their careers, and rightfully so, but the difficulty around this is that there are a lot of T20 leagues around the world, IPL, and it’s taking up a lot of attention of the player’s focus is on that,” said de Villiers.
“Very difficult because the ultimate format of the game is still Test cricket and all Test-playing nations really wanna look after the Test format, so there’s a bit of force in all kinds of directions here. Guys, you do run out of energy, and once you run out of energy, you tend to go in your defensive mode and into a shell where you look after what you feel is important to you, and that’s a human reaction,” he added.
Following Ishan Kishan’s absence from India’s Test squad for the South Africa and England series, the debate over managing player workload intensified. As the upcoming Rajkot Test draws near, discussions surrounding player workload and the influence of T20 leagues persist.
ALSO READ | Back to Basics: BCCI Reportedly Orders Ishan Kishan, and Krunal Pandya to Participate in Ranji Trophy
Last Updated on February 14, 2024
Senior Sports Copywriter
